Cops bust gunmen following robbery

Crime Watch is a weekly series culled from reports provided by the Santa Monica Police Department. These are arrests only. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Monday, Dec. 21, at 9:22 p.m.,

Santa Monica police officers responded to the 2300 block of Fourth Street — Budget Center Market — regarding an armed robbery that just occurred. When officers arrived, they made contact with a store employee who told them that two men entered the store wearing masks. They allegedly demanded money from the register while brandishing firearms. The victim gave the suspects approximately $300 in cash from the register and the suspects fled on foot eastbound on Hollister Avenue from Fourth Street. An off-duty police employee observed the suspects running and saw them jump into a waiting vehicle. The employee provided this information to officers. An officer working in Virginia Avenue Park got word of the robbery and observed a vehicle matching the suspects’ driving eastbound on Pico Boulevard toward Centinela Avenue. Officers stopped the vehicle on Intestate 10 near the National/Overland off-ramp. The suspects were placed under arrest for robbery, kidnapping, possession of a concealed weapon in a vehicle and obstruction of justice. They were identified as Martin Garcia, 20, and Jonathan Sierra, 20; both from Los Angeles. Their bail was set at $1 million.

Sunday, Dec. 20, at 7:52 p.m.,

Officers were issuing a citation to a bicyclist riding on the sidewalk in the 900 block of Pico Boulevard when someone approached them and told the officers that he remembered being arrested by them two days earlier. The suspect was arrested for a probation violation and possession of a hypodermic needle. The officers obtained the suspect’s consent to search him as part of his probation requirements. They found a hypodermic needle with a brown liquid inside that was later identified as heroin. The suspect was placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic needle. He was identified as Alex Saltzman, 32, of the Pacific Palisades. His bail was set at $10,000.

Friday, Dec. 18, at 9:05 p.m.,

Officers conducted a traffic stop in the area of Dorchester Avenue and Pico Boulevard after observing a person driving without their headlights on. After the vehicle stopped, the driver allegedly got out and began yelling at the officers. Further investigation revealed that the suspect was on parole. During a parole search, officers said they located a glass pipe commonly used to smoke crack cocaine. The suspect, Marvin Lee Connor, 49, was arrested and booked for possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $250.

Saturday, Dec. 19, at 6:15 a.m.,

Officers received a radio call regarding two men removing a 55-gallon barrel of cooking oil from the rear of 1315 Third Street Promenade. When officers arrived, officers learned that the suspects had entered several parking structures and removed barrels containing vegetable oil as part of City Hall’s recycling program in which the oil is turned into bio-deisel fuel. The suspects were arrested for burglary. They were identified as Raymundo Andalon, 39, of Arleta, and Lionardo Soto, 75. Their bail was set at $20,000.

Saturday, Dec. 19, at 2 p.m.,

Officers responded to the 300 block of Colorado Avenue — Sears — regarding shoplifting suspects in custody. When officers arrived, they made contact with store security who said the suspects entered the store, removed several items from the shelves and hid them in a baby stroller. The suspects exited the store without paying for the items. They were stopped once they left the store. Security said they recovered $617.70 worth of merchandise. Additional items from another business on the Third Street Promenade were also found, police said. All items were returned and police officers placed the suspects under arrest for grand theft, possession of stolen property and theft. They were identified as Antonia Marcial Fernandez, 36, and Marilu Fernandez, 26; both from Los Angeles. Their bail is $20,000.

Friday, Dec. 18, at 6:35 a.m.,

Officers received a radio call to report to the 700 block of Broadway regarding a disturbance. Officers learned that someone was inside a store yelling and knocking over displays. As officers were driving to the location they spotted the suspect in the 400 block of Broadway. Officers were told that the suspect prevented store employees from calling police. The suspect was placed under arrest and booked for damaging phone lines. The suspect was identified as Tiffany Braver, 37, of Santa Monica. Her bail was set at $20,000.

Monday, Dec. 14, at 8:30 p.m.,

Officers responded to the 300 block of Colorado Avenue — Sears — regarding a report of shoplifting. When officers arrived, they made contact with store security who said two women walked into the store with a baby stroller and placed several items in the stroller before leaving the business without paying for the goods. Store security detained the women once they were outside the store and held them until police arrived. They were arrested for burglary. The suspects were identified as Akileo Mendez, 26, and Carmen Mendez, 20; both are from Los Angeles. Their bail was set at $20,000.

Monday, Dec. 14, at 2:07 a.m.,

A communications supervisor noticed that a man was abusing the 911 system by making abusive telephone calls from pay phones throughout the city. The suspect was allegedly calling 911 operators and yelling profanities. The supervisor recognized the caller and sent officers to the location of the pay phone were the last call was made. Officers located the suspect near Lincoln Boulevard and Kensington Avenue. Officers placed him under arrest for making annoying phone calls to 911. He was identified as Christ Hanna, 50, a transient. His bail was set at $2,000.